Game of Thrones: Will House of the Dragon Create a Whole New Set of Stars?

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Fans of all things fantasy have had plenty to enjoy on TV in recent months, with the likes of The Witcher and Cursed finding an audience on Netflix.

There are plenty of other major projects with a similar theme in the pipeline too, including a Lord of the Rings series from Amazon. However, in recent weeks, there has also been more news on a return to Westeros and the franchise which arguably kicked off this current small screen trend.

Casting begins

Earlier this month, Entertainment Weekly reported on information from sources that HBO has begun the casting process for House of the Dragon, the upcoming prequel series based on the Game of Thrones universe.

Little is so far known about what the series might have in store for fans, but it is thought that the project is based on the book Fire & Blood. As the history of House Targaryen, the novel is set around three centuries before the sequence of events which took place within the original A Song of Ice and Fire series of books. Entertainment Weekly has gone on to speculate about potential key figures who could feature within the series, although it adds that no casting breakdowns are thought to be available.

HBO has called on one former Game of Thrones director to support the project, with Miguel Sapochnik expected to direct a pilot and other episodes within the ten that the network has committed to.

A pop culture phenomenon

There is a huge amount of interest surrounding this upcoming project for fairly obvious reasons. After all, Game of Thrones became a fully-fledged pop culture phenomenon as well as having a major impact on the TV landscape as a whole. It also achieved this despite having what ultimately proved to be a divisive final few episodes, with even the stars of the show being asked for their views on how events played out.

However, its influence extended far beyond TV, as interest in the books remains high with Martin continuing work on The Winds of Winter. The franchise has also made its presence felt in several different ways in the world of gaming, with Game of Thrones: Conquest, for example, taking the show’s mythology onto mobile and the series turning up in the world of online casinos too. By browsing the selection of slots available online, it’s possible to see how these games feature a range of themes, with a Game of Thrones slot being among several notable titles offered.

One of the major factors which arguably helped Game of Thrones achieve this level of success was its cast, with the series going on to spawn a whole host of stars. Emilia Clarke, Sophie Turner, Kit Harington, Richard Madden and many more have tackled a range of projects since their time in the fantasy realm has come to an end. The latter pair are notably set to make appearances in the much-loved Marvel Cinematic Universe in the very near future, with both of them having roles in The Eternals.

Getting it right

With that in mind, it is clear that there is a lot riding on the casting of House of the Dragon as it gets underway. While HBO and those behind the new project will want to ensure that they make the right choices, a role in the show could ultimately be life-changing for the actors and actresses who secure parts within it.

It will be fascinating to follow how the show’s development continues across the coming months and how it ultimately fares when it finally reaches our screens.